Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan End 15-Year Feud, Plan Golf Reunion
Nov 21, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns former player Charles Barkley in attendance against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
One of the NBA‘s most iconic friendships is officially back on track. Charles Barkley announced on Sirius XM‘s « Mad Dog Unleashed » that he and Michael Jordan have ended their 15-year rift and are planning to get together for a golf game in the offseason.
« We had a conversation, » Barkley told host Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo on Friday. « We’re going to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over. »
The 2012 Split That Changed Everything
The freeze between the two Hall of Famers began in 2012 when Barkley publicly criticized Jordan’s performance as owner of the then-Charlotte Bobcats during an interview on ESPN Chicago radio. Barkley implied that Jordan hadn’t hired enough people with the courage to disagree with his franchise decisions.
« I love Michael, but he just has not done a good job, » Barkley said at the time. « Even though he is one of my great friends, I can’t get on here and tell you he’s done a great job. He has not done a great job, plain and simple. »
The comments effectively ended a friendship that had spanned over two decades, during which the pair were known to hit the golf course, play cards, and even star in commercials together. Jordan became majority owner of the Bobcats in 2006 and sold his stake in the renamed Charlotte Hornets in 2023 for approximately $3 billion while retaining a minority share.
A Long-Awaited Reconciliation
Throughout the years of silence, Barkley had expressed disappointment about the rift. Speaking in 2020 around the airing of ESPN‘s « The Last Dance, » he told ESPN 1000: « Oh, he got my number. He can call me. » In another interview that year, Barkley reflected on the lost friendship: « The guy was like a brother to me for, shoot, 20-something years. And I do, I feel sadness. »
Now, the longtime « Inside the NBA » analyst is downplaying any lingering animosity between the two basketball legends. « We’re not like Prince William and Prince Harry. We always have a lot of love for each other, » Barkley told Sirius XM. « But we talked in the last 72 hours. We just decided to get together and play golf as soon as basketball is over. »
While Jordan hasn’t publicly commented on the planned reunion, the news represents a heartwarming development for NBA fans who remember the dynamic duo’s friendship during their playing days and beyond.
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